System and method for receiving and changing a bill of material for vehicle components

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, first data from a first functional group is received describing an attribute of a first component of a bill of material, second data from a second functional group is received describing the attribute of the first component, and the first data and the second data are permitted to be inconsistent for a predefined duration.

1 . A computer-implemented system for receiving and changing a bill of material for vehicle components comprising:
 a computer program configured to direct one or more computers to,
 during a first time period,
 receive first data from a first functional group describing a first component of the bill of material, 
 receive second data from a second functional group describing the first component, and 
 permit the first data and the second data to be inconsistent, and 
 
 during a subsequent second time period,
 require at least a portion of the first data and the second data to be consistent. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to track changes to the bill of material. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to permit the first functional group to access the second data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to permit the second functional group to access the first data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to, during the first time period, permit the first functional group to change the first data independent of the second functional group. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to, during the first time period, permit the second functional group to change the second data independent of the first functional group. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to, during the second time period, prevent the first functional group from changing the portion of the first data required to be consistent with the second data independent of the second functional group. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to, during the second time period, prevent the second functional group from changing the portion of the second data required to be consistent with the first data independent of the first functional group. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer is further configured to receive subsystem data describing a subsystem comprising the first component and a second component, receive third data describing the second component, and check a consistency of at least a portion of the subsystem data and at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data. 
     
     
         10 . A method for receiving and changing a bill of material for vehicle components comprising:
 during a first time period,
 receiving first data from a first functional group describing a first component of the bill of material, 
 receiving second data from a second functional group describing the first component, and 
 permitting the first data and the second data to be inconsistent; and 
   during a subsequent second time period,
 requiring at least a portion of the first data and the second data to be consistent. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising tracking changes to the bill of material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising permitting the first functional group to access the second data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising permitting the second functional group to access the first data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising permitting the first functional group to change the first data independent of the second functional group during the first time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising permitting the second functional group to change the second data independent of the first functional group during the first time period. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising preventing the first functional group from changing the portion of the first data required to be consistent with the second data independent of the second functional group during the second time period. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising preventing the second functional group from changing the portion of the second data required to be consistent with the first data independent of the first functional group during the second time period. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising receiving subsystem data describing a subsystem comprising the first component and a second component, receiving third data describing the second component, and checking a consistency of at least a portion of the subsystem data and at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data. 
     
     
         19 . A method for receiving and changing a bill of material for vehicle components comprising:
 receiving first data from a first functional group describing an attribute of a first component of the bill of material,   receiving second data from a second functional group describing the attribute of the first component, and   permitting the first data and the second data to be inconsistent for a predefined duration.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising requiring at least a portion of the first data and the second data to be consistent after the predefined duration.